Will GreenwaldEverything You Missed From E3As E3s go, 2018 felt quieter than most. But we did get a few surprises, several long-expected announcements, and refreshes for a number of beloved video games.

E3 2018 is coming to a close, and now we have time to process everything we saw. There were some surprises, several long-expected announcements, and refreshes for a number of beloved video games. There was also very little hardware compared with previous years.

As E3s go, 2018 felt quieter than most. This is unsurprising, considering the state of the current console generation. The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have hit their stride and already received iterative updates and half-step upgrades in recent years. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch is now over a year old and very popular thanks to its unique concept and strong opening library. It's too late for tweaked consoles and too early for new ones. Stay tuned for E3 2019, when we might catch a glimpse of the next PlayStation or Xbox.

Microsoft: Now With More Studios

Microsoft has confirmed that it's working on its next console, and Sony appears to be treating the PS4 as a system it's gotten full use out of. Of course 2019 teases could mean official announcements in 2020, but we don't expect to see new game systems for at least two more years.

Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony aren't resting on their laurels, however. Microsoft has struggled with exclusive games this generation, and plans to fix that problem by buying several promising studios. Ninja Theory stands as one of Microsoft's key new acquisitions, having released the critically acclaimed Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice last year. Microsoft also acquired Forza developer Playground and State of Decay developer Undead Labs.

PlayStation: Naughty Dog, Insomniac, and Kojima

Sony continues to push a strong first- and second-party presence with a handful of tentpole games. Naughty Dog's The Last Of Us Part II is Sony's crown jewel of this year's E3, following the PS3 (later ported to PS4) hit The Last Of Us.

Insomniac Games' Spider-Man, coming out this fall, also shows a lot of promise considering its license and developer pedigree. Metal Gear Solid creator and auteur Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding stands out as another big PS4 title, though the game still looks completely perplexing even after three lengthy trailers and a long look at gameplay.

Meanwhile, Kratos is taking a well-deserved rest after April's God of War turned out to be such a massive success. We might see God of War DLC this holiday season, but don't hold your breath; it's now Ellie's turn to shine in The Last Of Us Part II.

Nintendo: Time to Smash

Nintendo was quick and simple, emphasizing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate over everything else. The witch already got incredible Mario and Zelda games, and plenty of other excellent first- and second-party releases in its first year. Now it's time for Nintendo's fighting game series to take the stage by bringing together every major character seen in every game, including the long-awaited return of Solid Snake.

Splatoon 2's Octoling DLC is coming out very soon, as is the intriguing Octopath Traveler, a JRPG that evokes classic games like Suikoden and Romancing SaGa. The Switch is also finally getting its own Mario Party game with Super Mario Party this fall.

Bethesda: Fallout 76 and Friends

Bethesda already announced Fallout 76, but E3 gave us a better look at it. Instead of the single-player experience of previous Fallout games, Fallout 76 will be the first fully online game in the series. It keeps most of the first-person action RPG mechanics of Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, and Fallout 4, but adds the ability to work with and against other players in a freshly wastelandized West Virginia.

Doom is also getting a sequel in Doom: Eternal, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus is getting a standalone expansion in Wolfenstein: Youngblood, and Rage is getting a full sequel in Rage 2 (which would have been a bigger surprise if Walmart Canada hadn't leaked details weeks ago). And, while they're years away, Bethesda it's developing a massive single-player sci-fi RPG called Starfield and a new, post-Skyrim The Elder Scrolls game.

Capcom: Classics Come Back

Capcom is the nostalgic gamer's best friend after this year's E3. We got closer looks at Mega Man 11 and the Resident Evil 2 remake, Devil May Cry 5 was finally announced, and a North American port of Monster Hunter XX for the Nintendo Switch (launching here as Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate) was revealed. With the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection already out and the Mega Man X Legacy Collection coming this August, all that was missing from Capcom's booth were Bionic Command and Ghosts & Goblins.

Activision and EA: Big Names, Small Surprise

Activision and EA have some massive games coming out, but they aren't exactly surprises. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Battlefield V cover the military shooter genre for the two publishers, while a new Destiny 2 expansion and Bioware's Anthem hit the online sci-fi shooter space. EA revealed some new Star Wars with Jedi: Fallen Order, along with expansion content for Star Wars: Battlefront II. Meanwhile, Activision provided a look at FromSoftware's mysterious new game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

Devolver Digital: It's Time To Partyyyyyy!

Speaking of FromSoftware, Devolver Digital had a surprise announcement. While the publisher is best known for interesting and creative indie games, its biggest news this year is actually a decade-old port. The cult sleeper Metal Wolf Chaos is finally getting a North American Release as Metal Wolf Chaos XD for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. This is a huge boon to anyone who's a fan of mechs, patriotism, and great voice acting. It's less of a boon to gamers who spent $400 on a Japan-only Xbox copy.

Ubisoft and Square-Enix: Spoiled (But Strong) Surprises

Ubisoft and Square-Enix weren't very good at keeping secrets this year; we already knew about Assassin's Creed: Odyssey and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. But Ubisoft showed a bit more about Beyond Good & Evil 2, including a controversial invitation for fans to contribute their own art to the game, along with a Star Fox tie-in with the company's upcoming toys-to-life sci-fi game Starlink: Battle for Atlas. Square-Enix also reiterated that Kingdom Hearts 3 is coming out in January, though the Final Fantasy 7 remake was nowhere to be found. It's been a pretty solid E3, even without any new game consoles to think about.

About the Author

Will Greenwald has been covering consumer technology for a decade, and has served on the editorial staffs of CNET.com, Sound & Vision, and Maximum PC. His work and analysis has been seen in GamePro, Tested.com, Geek.com, and several other publications. He currently covers consumer electronics in the PC Labs as the in-house home entertainment expert... See Full Bio

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